UK Timeline Merlin : Season 2

19-09-2009, 20:37

started tonight anyone watch it? I thought it was a good enough episode. Why not in HD though I ask?

**Chris** · 19-09-2009, 21:21

Didn't see it as we were tidying up after our son's birthday party.

Downloading it now though so I'll see it tomorrow evening, probably.

As for HD - rendering FX to a higher standard makes it disproportionately expensive to do any fantasy show in HD compared, say, to Eastenders or a good wildlife show. The Doctor Who production team held out for as long as they could because they were worried that the net effect would be a lower quality production. The Beeb was reluctant to give them the extra cash they needed in order to do it to what RT Davies considered an acceptable standard. If the BBC is so reticent to properly fund its most successful non-soap drama in HD, I can't see them loosening the purse strings for Merlin, especially during a recession.

I guess if it gets a 3rd series next year it probably will go HD then, because the Beeb has a target to eventually get all its in-house and commissioned material made in HD.

scrotnig · 19-09-2009, 21:42

Don't see what the recession has to do with the BBC, it's just an excuse they use. Their income is 100% guaranteed on pain of a prison sentence.

**Chris** · 19-09-2009, 22:10

No, the licence fee is guaranteed but that is not the entirety of the BBC's income. BBC Worldwide is a commercial outfit that makes the Beeb a pile of cash that is re-invested in UK broadcasting. That commercial income is just as sensitive to a recession as any other business. The BBC is not nearly as exposed as its competitors, but to suggest it is immune is pretty wide of the mark.

More details here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009...moyles-pay-cut

**Paul** · 19-09-2009, 23:25

Yep, I watched it, not a bad start to season 2 - the clips of whats to come were quite interesting as well.

admars · 20-09-2009, 22:21

Missus and I just watched it, and really enjoyed it, more of the same from Season 1, but in this case that's a good thing.

We normally don't watch "coming up on next week's episode" bit, but did watch the coming up section, couldn't help ourselves

Afterwards on BBC3 there was a "behind the scenes" programme, we haven't watched that yet.

Stephen · 21-09-2009, 13:42

Wasn't season 1 in HD? I can't actually remember.

Tezcatlipoca · 21-09-2009, 21:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stephen

Wasn't season 1 in HD? I can't actually remember.

I thought it was, but I must have been thinking of Robin Hood, as it seems that Merlin has never been shown in HD in the UK.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/bbcintern...orks_best.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBC blog

Having said that we want to make sure that the best of the BBC's content is available to you in HD, however that's defined, I have to tell Dazza124 that, unfortunately, Merlin will not be on BBC HD.

Sometimes, for a whole variety of reasons, the production team decides that it doesn't want to use the format. Those of us on BBC HD felt that Merlin was a show that we should aim to deliver in high definition, but in the end it was shot in Super 16.

**Chris** · 22-09-2009, 13:24

So, it sounds from that as if the Merlin production team have been having the same argument with their bosses at the Beeb as the Doctor Who team had, except Merlin doesn't have nearly as compelling a business case for increasing its budget.

cimt · 19-12-2009, 23:26

Anyone know why there isn't a Secrets and Magic episode for the finale?

admars · 20-12-2009, 06:30

My Tv guide says there is Monday night, after the main program is shown at 19:00 on BBC3, and Tuesday at 16:55 according to http://www.radiotimes.com